With a roster that includes rookie guards Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul already is embracing his role as a mentor. In his previous four seasons, Paul always had a more experienced point guard that played behind him.

Paul, 24, resumed workouts in New Orleans this week and has taken the initiative to mentor Thornton, whom the Hornets obtained in June after the Miami Heat selected him in the second round.

"I wake up and work out at 6 a.m., and Marcus said he had been working out at 8 a.m.,'' Paul said. "I told Marcus we're going at 6. I think that's part of being older now and that I can sort of tell him that he's going to work out with me.''